Hoist crane construction



R. J. HARRY HoIsT CRANE CONSTRUCTION Fled Jan. `12, 1959 Hq fr@ rwINVEYNTOR `lan. 27, 1942.

Patented Jan. 27, 1.942

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,271,428 HoIsT CRANE CONSTRUCTION Robert J.Harry, Alliance, Ohio Application January 12, 1939, Serial No. 250,578Claims. (Cl. 2544-184) This invention pertains to raising and loweringapparatus, and more particularly, to cranes having van improved drum andgear arrangement.

As pointed out in the patent to Kendall 1,727,206, where a pair ofmotors are employed for driving suitable hoist drums, it is important itection in this connection, see the above-mentioned patent. However,worm gears have certain disadvantageous features and it has been foundthat they limit the operation and location of the hoist drums which, inturn, will limit the capacity ofthe crane and the head room. To increasethe capacity of a crane and/or to increase the span of an auxiliarycrane, it is necessary to increase the size or diameter of the hoistdrums, and if they are mounted asV heretofore contemplated and/orrequired, such increase in size will automatically increase the headroom requirements. By head room the applicant has particular referenceto the distance from the top of the ladle beam to the top plane of themain hoist.

In view of such considerations, it has been an object of my invention toprovide a new and improved crane structure.

Another object has been to devisev a layout of the drums and associatedoperating -partsrsuch that an increase of capacity have little or noeffect upon the head room required.

each pair` of drums and each motor is interconnected (synchronized)through spur gears in such a' manner that 'one cannot get out of stepwith respect to the other during their operation and/or when they arebeing stopped and started.

A pair of hoisting dr-ums I 0 is journaled in suitable bearings -IIwithin a substantially recvtangula'r box I2 at opposite sides of themain frame 9 of the crane. The drums are preferably of the sameconstruction on both sides of the crane. As shown, the drums are rotatedby motors I3 and I4, each of. which has brake shoes I5 on opposite endsof its armature shaft foruse with a magnetic or other suitable form ofbrake. One end of each motor isy provided with an extending shaftportion I8 having a spur gear featheredthereto' journaled within a gearbox II. Intermediate shafts I9 also extendthrough the gear box II at'oneend thereof and have a spur gear 20 feathered thereto intermeshing withrespect to a motor armature shaft pinion gear I8. Each spur gear 20 alsointerlmeshes. with the similar spur gear of the other motor in such amannerthatboth motors are connected and synchronized throughv suitablegears With the hoist drums I0 and are also interlgeared with respect toeach other ahead of their connectionv to the hoist drums I'II.

Another object has been to devise a new and improved operativearrangement between hoist drums and driving mechanisms therefor.v

In one aspect, my invention deals with the provision of interlocked drumpairs and synchronized drive motors and/or with the utilization of spurgearstherewith.

These and many other objects of my invention will appear to thoseskilled in the art from the description thereof, the drawing, and theappended claims.

In the drawing, the figure is a top plan of a crane construction builtand arranged in accordance with the principles of my invention.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably provide a pair of directlyinterlocked hoist drums adjacent opposite sides of the main frame topconstruction. A motor is provided for driving Each of the twointermediateshafts Ill is also journaled within bearings of a largergear case 2| and is provided with a pinion 22 for positively driving aspur gear 23 and a pinion gear 24 of a tertiaryshaft 25. The tertiaryshaft 25 is also journaled at opposite ends by suitable bearings withinthe casing 2| and a spur gear 24 meshes with and drives a drum driveshaft pinion 26 mounted on a quartiary shaft 2'I. The shaft 2l has asuitablev coupling 28 and is journaled within the housing' 2| as well aswithin the oppositely positioned drum housings I2. Each drum of eachpair has a spur` gear 30 extending about the periphery thereof adjacentits outer end and intermeshing directly with a similar spur gear of theother drum of the particular pair in question. The quartiary or drumdrive nized in such a manner that one Icannot be stopped before theother, for example, by a premature action of the magnetic brakes of one.Also, the characteristics of a pair of motors will frequently vary fordifferent loads and speeds due to slight variations in the windings andcharacteristics of the metal parts, etc. The spur gear mechanismenclosed within the box Il positively prevents an overrunning of onemotor and also an overrunning of one drum or one pair of drums withrespect to another drum of the same pair or of the other pair. The spurgear box 2| reduces the speed of rotation and drives the drum driveshafts 2'1. The shafts 21, in turn, are connected and driven in such amanner that one shaft simultaneously drives the spur gear of oneoppositely positioned drum of each pair. It will thus appear that thedrums are positively interconnected and that each drum of each pair isdirectly tied in orV interlocked with respect to the other drum of thesame pair. Thus, in case of failure of one drive gear or drive shaft ordrum pinion, the other gears, pinions and shafts Will prevent damage tothe apparatus and a release of the hoisting cable.

Themain lioist frame 9 may be driven in any suitable manner by a trolleydrive motor 1H mounted within horizontal planes defining upperandlowerlimits of a transverse girder beam vand having an armature shaft18,2 extending from opposite ends thereof. Each. shaft end 42 issuitably connected to and drives anged track wheels 43; However, anysuitable form of trolley construction may be employed in this connectionand an auxiliary trolley such as shown in my copending applicationSerial No. 250,575, filed January 12, 1939 and entitled Craneconstruction can. bev mounted beneath the main trolley Q. The main frame9, see the above-mentionedcopending application, preferably has asubstantially U-shapedoutline when viewed from an end of the structure,which is madepossible by the side or opposite location of the hoistdrums I0.

It will thus. appearv that the present invention cany interleaving suchasI shown in my-copending ap-Y plicationSerial No. 250,576, filedJanuary 1-2, 1939, andv entitled Hoist crane construction, is preferablyemployed, although it will be understoodfthatthe present invention isnot limited to sucha construction. The rotative planes of the motors I3and I4 extend in the same direction as rotative planes of the drums l;and, the motors are located substantially within bounding planes of thedrums and in the space between the drum pairs.

When I speak of the axis of the individual drums or the .axes ofthe drumpairs or portions of the-same, I have reference to the axis or axesabout which the drum or drum pairs turn or rotate. The same is true asIto shafting and other operating and drive connections and members asdened in the claims. When I speak of interlocked drums inthespecification, I have reference to intermeshed or intermeshing drumswhich are provided with suitable means such as drum gears for, ineffect, locking them in such a manner thattheir operation isintergeared, although they are also separately driven.

Although for the purpose of illustration, I have Fill shown a preferredform of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat many modications, alterations, and additions may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as indicated in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a crane, a pair of hoisting drums, each drum having a gear securedthereto, said drums operably intermeshing through' said gears and havinga portion of their axes in a side-by-side relationship, ano-therhoisting drum having a spaced-apart relationship with respect to saidpair of hoisting drums and having a portion of its axis extending in thesame direction as the above-defined portion of the axes of said drumpair, a pair of motors operably positioned substantially endwise of endportions of said drums and in the spacing therebetween, said motorshaving rotating axes extending substantially in the same direction asthe above-.defined portions of,l the. axes. of said drums, and meansoperably connecting said motors to each of said drums.

2. In combination With a traveling` hoist crane adapted. to movelongitudinally from one location toanother and. having a` framelextending transversely of its direction of movement, spaced apart pairsof hoist drums operably positioned at opposite sides of said framethedrums of each pair having a portionoi their axesin a side-bysiderelationship, each drum, of each. pair having a gear. intermeshing witha gear of the other drum ofy said pair, al pair of, motors on said frameinthe spacing between said drum pairs, saidl motors being positionedvadjacent end portions of. said drumsand having rotating axes extendingsubstantially in the same direction as the above-mentioned portion ofthe axes of said drums, the axes of. said drums extending substantiallytransversely of the direction of. travel of said crane, andmeansoperably connecting said motors to each of said drums.

3. In, a crane, pairs of operablyK intermeshed drums having aportionofth'eir axesin a side-byside relationship,` a pair of motorsbetweensaid pairsfor actuating said drums, each ofsaid motors having a rotatingaxis` ina side-by-si'de relationshpwith respectto the rotating. axis ofthe other motor of said pair, saidmotors beingpositioned` substantiallyendwise of end portions oi said drums and` having. their rotating axes`extending in substantially the same direction as the above-dened portionof the axes of said drums,

-' f and means operably, connecting said' motors to 4. In. a crane,pairs of operably intermeshed drums having, aportionof theiry axes in aside-byside relationship, apair. of actuatingmotors for said drums,saidmotors .being `positioned substantially endwise of endportionsofsaiddrums and having rotating.. axes extending in.substantially the same direction asthe above,-rnentionedpore tion of theaxes of said drums, means operably connecting said motors together forsynchronousV tially in the samedirection as the above-defined portion ofthe drum axes, members operably connecting the'gear of each drum'of apair to the gear of a drum of another pair, and means operablyconnecting said motors to' said members for actuating said drums. y

6. In a' crane,.pairs of hoisting drums, each drum having a gear'securedthereto, the drums of each .pairA being operably intermeshed throughsaid gears and having a portion of their axes in a side-by-siderelationship, a pair of actuating motors for said drums, said motorsbeing positioned substantially endwise of end portions of said drums,each motor having a drive member extending substantially in the samedirection as the above-defined portion of the drum axes, gear meansoperably intermeshing with the drive member of one of said motors andwith the drive member of the other of said motors, so that theyv willoperate in synchronism, and means operably connecting said gear means tothe drums of said drum pairs for actuating them.

7. In a crane, spaced-apart pairs of hoisting drums, each drum having agear secured thereto, the drums of each drum pair being operablyintermeshed through said gears and having a portion of their aXes in aside-by-side relationship, a pair of actuating motors for said drums,said motors being positioned substantially endwise of end portions ofsaid drums in the spacing between drum pairs and having rotating axesextending substantially in the same direction as above-defined portionof axes of said drums, intermeshing gear means operably synchronizingand connecting one motor to the other motor and operably connecting bothof said motors to each drum of each of said pairs.

8. In a crane, pairs of hoisting drums, each drum having a gear securedthereto, the drums of each pair being operably intermeshed through saidgears and having a portion of their axes in a side-by-side relationship,a pair of actuating motors for said drums, said motors being positionedadjacent end portions of said drums, each motor having a rotating axisextending substantially in the same direction as the above-definedportion of the drum axes, a member operably connecting the gear of adrum of one pair with the gear of an opposite drum of another pair, asecond member operably connecting the gears of the other drums of saidpairs, and gear means operably connecting one motor with the other motorand operably connecting said motors to both of said members for drivingthem- 9. In a crane, spaced-apart pairs of hoisting drums, each drumhaving a drum gear, the drum gears of each drum pair operablyintermeshing with each other and having a portion of their axes in aside-by-side relationship, members operably connecting each drum of onepair to an opposite drum of the other pair, a pair of motors positionedsubstantially endwise of end portions of said drums in the spacingbetween drum pairs and having drive connections, and spur gear meansoperably connecting each of said motors to one of said members andintermeshing with the drive connections of said motors, so that saidmotors will drive said drum pairs in synchronism.

10. In a crane, spaced-apart pairs of hoisting drums, each drum having agear secured thereto, the drums of each pair being operably intermeshedthrough said gears and having a portion of their axes in a side-by-siderelationship, a

pair of actuating motors for said drums positioned adjacent end portionsof said drums, each of said motors having an operating member eX-tending in substantially the same direction as the above-deiinedportionof the axes of said drums, intermeshing spur vgearing operablyconnecting the operating member of one'motor with the operating memberof the othermotor for driving them 'in synchronism, operating membersextending across the'spacing betweendrum pairs and operably connectingopposite .drums ofthe drum pairs together, and additional spur gearingoperably connecting said intermeshing spur gearing :to .each of saidlast-mentioned. operating members; Y v

1l. In a crane,` spaced-apart pairs of hoisting drums, each drum havinga gear secured thereto, the drums of each drum pair being operablyintermeshed through said gears and having a portion of their axes in aside-by-side relationship, a pair of actuating motors for said drumsvpositioned substantially endwise of end portions of said drums andbetween drum pairs, each of said motors having a rotating shaft, a pairlof'secondary shafts, gears on said secondary shafts operably connectingsaid shafts to each of said motor shafts, additional gearing on one ofsaid secondary shafts operably connecting it to a pair of oppositedrumsg-of said drum pairs, and additional gearing on the other of saidsecondary shafts operably connecting it to the other pair of oppositedrums of said drum pairs, so that said drum pairs will be driven by saidmotors in synchronism.

, 1,2. In a crane, a pair ofv rotatable hoisting drums having a portionof their axes in a sideby-side relationship, each drum having a gear,said gears being operably intermeshed, a pair of actuating motors forsaid drums, said motors being positioned substantially endwise withrespect to end portions of said drum pair and between planesrepresenting said drums in the direction of their axes of rotation, saidmotors having rotating axes extending in substantially the samedirection as the axes of rotation of said drums, connecting members, andgears exclusively of a spur gear type operably connecting said memberstogether adjacent such end of said drum pair, said spur gears operablyconnecting said -motors to said members, each of said members beingoperably connected to each gear of each of said drums independently ofthe intermeshed relationship between said drum gears.

13. In a crane, a pair of rotatable hoisting drums having a portion oftheir axes in a sideby-side relationship, each drum having .a gear, saidgears being operably intermeshed, actuating motors forzsaid drums havingrotating axes extending in substantially the same direction as the axesof rotation of said drums, s'aid motors having a portion of their axesin a side-by-side relationship, a pair of spaced members, means operablyconnecting one of said members to one of said drums,.means operablyconnecting the other of said members to the other of said drums, andspur gears independent of said drum gears operably extending across thespacing between said members and operably connecting. said memberstogether, said gears having rotating axes extending in substantially thesame direction as the axes of rotation of said drums, said gears alsooperably connecting said motors to said members for actuating each ofsaid drums independently of the intermeshed relationship between saiddrum gears.

14. In a crane having a drum supporting frame adapted to movelongitudinally from one location to another, pairs of hoisting drums onsaid frame, each drum having a gear, the drums of each drum pair beingoperably intermeshed through said gears and having a portion of theiraxes in a side-by-side relationship, said drum axes being positioned insuch a manner that their above-mentioned axes portions extend substantially transversely of the longitudinal direction of movement ofsaid frame, actuating motors for said drums, each motor having arotating axis extending in substantially the same direction as theabove-mentioned portion of the axes of said drums, said motors beingpositioned between said drum pairs, and means operably connecting saidmotors to the drums of said drum pairs.

15. In a crane, pairs of hoisting drums, each drum having a gear, thedrums of each pair being operably intermeshed through said gears andhaving a portion of their axes in a side-byside re1ation actuatingmotors for said drums, each of said motors having a drive member, said'motor drive members having rotating axes extending in ysubstantiallythe same direction as the above-mentioned portion of the drum axes, andmeans operably connecting said motors together and to each drum of saiddrum pairs, said means being independent of the intermeshed relationshipbetween said drum pairs.

ROBERT J. HARRY.

